


Once Upon a Dream

by YouHaveBatBreath (orphan_account)



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Drinking, M/M, Mostly-one-sided relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 09:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11483577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/YouHaveBatBreath
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: So... angsty BatJokes?





	Once Upon a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> You're welcome to drop a prompt/request at my tumblr!! Babybatjokes@tumblr

It was initially a weird tip-off that had caught his attention. He had his bat-radio set to intercept all of the weird, criminal-related tips, so it was easy to find out what was going on. He had been sitting in the batcave when the radio blurted out a call about a weird and extremely creepy laughter coming from a suspicious warehouse down near the docks. To Batman that meant only one thing. Joker.

He found him sitting in a disorganized pile, discarded booze bottles littering the ground around him. His face was cast in shadows, but Batman could _feel _the emotions emanating off of him like an aura, he just didn't know if they were good or bad.__

__“Oh hey, Batsy.” The voice sounded tired, kind of strained and swollen. “I was wondering if you were going to show up.” A small giggle followed, the absolute lack of happiness in the sound set Bruce’s nerves on edge. Joker sounded _exhausted _, and that just was not right for him.___ _

____“You thought I would come?” Batman husked, his voice heavy with his masked vigilante tone._ _ _ _

____“No…” there was no way in hell anyone could mistake that one little word as anything other than broken. “No, I really didn't think you'd come, but since you're here, why not sit and have a drink with me?”_ _ _ _

____Batman didn't know why he did just exactly that, but he found himself slumping against the wall next to his long-time enemy and taking the offered bottle. It was half-empty when he took it, and he drained the other half in a mere thirty seconds, his throats protesting the burning sensation of something much stronger than beer._ _ _ _

____“Didn't picture you as a whiskey kind of guy.” He said, tossing the bottle to the side to join the others._ _ _ _

____“Only on special occasions, darling.” His voice was missing something, his tones were warped and mishapen to sound almost normal. It was _wrong _.___ _ _ _

______Another bottle cap hit the floor with a metallic ‘tink’ and Joker just took a sip before handing it over, looking as if he had wanted to take a long swallow, but decided against it. Given the number of bottles already laying around Batman could only guess that it was a good call._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What are you doing out here?” He grumbled. He didn't even know why he wasn't hauling Joker’s ass off to Arkham, but he just didn't feel like the clown was a threat right then. He felt open and vulnerable, human emotions showing through his once impenetrable mask._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Do you know what today is, Bats?” A slender, scarred hand landed on his shoulder, he barely tensed. “It's our anniversary.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Our Anniversary?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“The day we met, silly. Its quite a momentous occasion, you know.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______That slender hand was followed by a lipstick and grease-paint smudged cheek. The Joker was surprisingly warm when he was snuggled up against Batman’s side. Why didn't this freak him out? He didn't know._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I didn't know we had an anniversary.” He answered honestly. “How many years has it been?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I can barely remember that anymore.” Warm breath that smelled like whiskey and candy blew across his cheek. “I just remember that every year on this day I come out and wait for you. Sometimes you show up, sometimes you don't. Most of the time I sit somewhere and drink whiskey by myself until I pass out.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Why whiskey?” Batman wasn't ready to address the way his stomach clenched at the sadness and abandonment in Joker’s when he spoke of Batman not appearing on a day that was so special to him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“This stuff is made by some crazy old coot up in the hills,” Joker snickered, just a tiny laugh but it was something. “It'd only take a normal person about half a bottle to be shit-their-shorts drunk. So I generally buy about two dozen bottles.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Bruce looked thoughtfully at the bottle in his hand and then took another drink._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Have you ever been in love?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The question was so abrupt that it almost surprised Batman, and yet he felt like it was coming, hanging in the air between them._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yes.” He answered, the alcohol, and perhaps a massive lack of shits to give, loosening his tongue. “I've been in love several times.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“How did you you know that you loved them?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The question was so innocent and naive, so full of curiosity and yearning, Batman probably would have teased Joker if it didn't make his heart squeeze. How did this full-grown man not understand love? Unless he had never been loved before. It made him feel an overwhelming rush of pity for his green-haired rival._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I suppose I just did. Its not something that jumps out at you, its like a fresh wound, at first it's just there, but then the blood starts to well and spread until it's all over the fucking place and you can't get rid of it because more just keeps fucking spilling out.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He heard the Joker “hmm” in his ear. “Is there any way to fix it?” His voice was slurred. “Because I really fucking need to fix it.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“It took years for me to get over a love.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Dammit, I don't have years.” Joker growled, for the first time sounding more like himself. “I already waited years and it just got stronger.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He didn't want to ask. Fine, he really, really wanted to ask, but he was fucking scared of the answer._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Who?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______A bitter laugh skittered into the air around them. “You know damn well who.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Yep, he sure fucking did, but he had absolutely no idea how to react to the blatant admission._ _ _ _ _ _

______The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable, it wasn't exactly companionable either. It was just two people sitting together and trying to process the fucked up world that was their life._ _ _ _ _ _

______Batman knew it was a bad idea. He knew it was wrong and fucked up and if anyone ever found out he would be so fucking out of business, but when he turned his head to the side and his ice blue eyes met sad green, he couldn't find it in himself to give a shit about the possible repercussions._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What would you do if this person was open to your feelings?” His voice was weird; cautious._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Oh y’know, probably fuck his brains out.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Batman audibly gulped._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Or maybe just drink some whiskey and make out a little?” Joker laughed, this time with something in it that Batman hadn't heard for a long time; hope._ _ _ _ _ _

______“That sounds like an appropriate response.” Batman was going to echo Joker’s laugh, but his mouth was covered by another and all rational thoughts fled his mind._ _ _ _ _ _

______He knew that what he felt for the Joker was vastly less than what the clown felt for him, and he knew that the Joker knew as well. He could tell by the way he tried to drink him in, tried to _possess _his very being. It was as if the green-haired maniac was hoping to project his affections hard enough that they would be reflected back onto him.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Batman tried, he kissed him deeply, held his body in the way of a lover and made him sing. But they both knew that it wasn't _it _yet. And when the sun was rising and they had to part ways Joker pulled Batman in for a long kiss.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I'm not giving up.” He murmured. “Not until you want me as badly as I want you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Batman knew that he wouldn't give up. And he knew that it would be a long wait. But the most important thing that he knew, was that when it finally happened, it was going to be worth the wait._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
